New England Patriots

Jordon Hudson's 64-year-old former lover is racing to her defense ... blasting haters who have accused her of being a gold digger for her romance with Bill Belichick -- while praising her as "wise beyond her years."

Joshua L. Zuckerman -- a businessman -- tells TMZ Sports ... he met Hudson several years ago, and after bonding over psychology, philosophy and nature, they became romantic.

The two were off and on for a while -- but ceased their dating relationship just prior to Hudson coupling up with Belichick.

"The View" turned into a roast of Bill Belichick's love life on Friday ... with Joy Behar ripping into the Patriots legend for dating 23-year-old Jordon Hudson.

The panel weighed in on the love birds' 49-year age gap during the ABC show ... and while a few hosts defended the romance, Behar scoffed at it -- and cracked several jokes at the coach and cheerleader's expense.

"This girl is hearing wedding bells," Behar said. "The question is -- can HE hear them?"

Bill Belichick's 23-year-old girlfriend is back on the competitive cheerleading mat ... and she's still getting some big air -- all while rockin' a skin-tight outfit!!

Jordon Hudson -- a former cheerleader at Bridgewater State University -- attended East Celebrity Elite Hingham practice in the Boston area on Thursday night ... making it clear she's returning to the floor for the 2024-25 competition season.

And, while she didn't land every stunt perfectly, she certainly looked good!!

A textbook on logic helped bring Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson together ... and the man who wrote it tells TMZ Sports he couldn't be happier!!

We broke the story ... the literary piece -- titled "Deductive Logic" -- was what first drew Belichick to Hudson way back in 2021 -- when they had their initial encounter on a plane ride from the Boston area to Florida.

Our sources say the ex-New England Patriots head coach was intrigued by the work that Hudson was studying on the flight ... and sparked up a conversation with her over it all.

Bill Belichick was grinning ear-to-ear the day he first met his now-girlfriend Jordon Hudson ... check out a photo TMZ Sports has obtained from their first encounter -- the ex-New England coach was clearly giddy.

The pic was taken at some point during a February 2021 flight -- after the future Hall of Famer had sat next to Hudson as they were both headed from the Boston area to Florida.

Our sources say at one point during the trip ... Belichick leaned in to inquire about some school work Hudson -- a college student at the time -- had been working on, and they hit it off.

Bill Belichick has a new love interest in his life ... TMZ Sports has learned he's dating 23-year-old former competitive cheerleader Jordon Hudson.

Sources close to the situation tell us the two have been romantic for a while now -- becoming an item shortly after the ex-New England Patriots head coach called off his longtime relationship with Linda Holliday.

According to one of Hudson's former cheerleading teammates, Hudson first met the 72-year-old on a flight from the Boston area bound for Florida way back in 2021 ... and bonded over a philosophy project the student-athlete had been working on.

Tom Brady's getting a statue at Gillette Stadium ... Robert Kraft announced Wednesday night the Patriots are erecting a 12-foot bronze sculpture of the ex-quarterback this season!

The New England honcho revealed the big news at Brady's Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Foxborough ... when he told a packed house the former signal-caller will be the first player in franchise history to receive the honor.

Kraft also said Brady's No. 12 jersey will be retired -- the first Patriot since Bruce Armstrong in 2001 to garner that accolade.

TGIF TMZ fans ... now, start your final workday off right with the best clips TMZ has to offer.

On "TMZ Live," Charles and Charlie talk Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian getting boycotted on Instagram by pro-Palestine protesters.

Give Julian Edelman an Oscar right now -- the former Patriots receiver showed off his acting chops in New England's schedule release video on Wednesday ... and he had help from his good buddy, Rob Gronkowski!!

The Pats went all-out ahead of the 2024 season ... doing their own spin on the classic 1997 film, "Good Will Hunting," to reveal their slate of opponents -- calling it "Good Jules Hunting."

Edelman plays Matt Damon's genius janitor role in New England's version ... deciphering a complicated algorithm to figure out the team's schedule. Gronk was picked to portray Ben Affleck's Chuckie, the not-so-bright right-hand man.

It's been a week since the 'Greatest Roast Of All Time,' but Tom Brady is still taking a beating ... 'cause Drew Bledsoe just fired off another joke about Gisele Bündchen!!

The former Patriots quarterback made the wisecrack on FanDuel TV this week ... when he detailed the last time he ran into the former couple during a ski trip back in the day.

The 52-year-old explained he recognized TB12 at the bottom of the Montana mountain ... so he decided to ski down and playfully spray his old teammate -- but the plan backfired and he ended up covering the supermodel with snow instead.

The ring Kevin Hart gifted to Tom Brady for being such a good sport during Sunday night's roast wasn't merely a prop ... TMZ Sports has learned it's the real deal -- coming in with a staggering worth of $40,000!!!

We're told celeb jeweler Jason Arashaben, CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills -- who actually created TB12's final Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl ring -- was the mastermind behind the piece, tasked with completing it in time for Netflix's "The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady."

Jason threw the kitchen sink at the bling ... loading it with just under 400 diamonds, rubies and sapphires. A spokesperson for the jeweler tells us it's all set on yellow gold, weighs around 6 carats -- and would cost normies about as much as a brand-new car to own.

If you thought Gisele Bundchen would be off limits during the roast of Tom Brady, think again -- 'cause the 7-time Super Bowl champion was just ruthlessly attacked over his divorce on Sunday ... with numerous comedians taking aim at the guy.

Brady was the center of attention during the live Netflix special ... and so far, there have been no punches held.

Kevin Hart -- the host of the festivities -- was first to go in on TB12 ... mentioning the fact his ex is now with "karate guy" Joaquim Valente, the dude who helped train his family in jiu-jitsu.

Robert Kraft graduated from Columbia in '63, and has been a huge proponent of the school in every way, including financially ... but all that changed Monday when the billionaire Patriots owner made it clear he wasn't going to stand by and watch his University be taken over by hate and vitriol.

"The school I love so much - the one that welcomed me and provided me with so much opportunity - is no longer an institution I recognize," 82-year-old Kraft said in a statement released by Stand Up To Jewish Hate, adding, "I am deeply saddened at the virulent hate that continues to grow on campus and throughout our country."

Of course, since mid-last week, students and others have taken to Columbia's NYC campus to demand the University sever all ties to Israel. Some protestors have been seen showing support for Hamas and their actions on October 7, even calling for repeated attacks.

Rob Gronkowski got Red Sox fans fired up for their Patriots' Day game in the most Gronk way possible -- by spiking the ceremonial first pitch straight into the ground!

The New England Patriots legend took the mound at Fenway Park just before Boston took on the Guardians in the annual holiday tilt ... and instead of firing a fastball to his catcher, he decided to bring out his touchdown celebration instead.

Check out the footage, Gronk hurled the baseball into the dirt so hard, it made a loud thud -- and the crowd couldn't have loved it more!!

Even some of the Sox players were spotted cheering it on!!

Gronk then gave his catcher a leaping side bump ... before he settled in to watch the game.

Former NFL star Malcolm Butler -- who famously helped the Patriots win Super Bowl XLIX with a last-minute interception -- was arrested in Rhode Island earlier this month, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

According to North Providence Police Dept. documents, Butler was thrown behind bars back on March 16 after officers say he displayed signs of driving drunk during a traffic stop.

Cops say they initially pulled his white Mercedes-Benz over at around 3:22 AM ... after he was allegedly blocking traffic while stopped in a travel lane.